In telephone networks, computer networks, etc., many devices communicate with many other devices. Due to the large number of possible combinations of devices which may communicate with each other, it is generally considered impractical and inefficient to dedicate unique physical communication links to each pair of network devices. Instead, switches logically configure communication links between all devices with physical links being located only between the switch and each device.
While these switches are very efficient and practical for large scale networks, they are costly, consume power and take up valuable space in smaller networks.
As such, the need exists for an inexpensive device, which is smaller than a switch, consumes less power than a switch, but can provide the same results as a switch for a limited number of devices.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a module of dedicated communication links.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a module which connects to a backplane in a slot which is reserved for a switch.
It is still another object of the invention to provide such a module for use with an Asynchronous Transfer Module (ATM) network.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a module for a limited number of devices.
It is still another object of the invention to provide such a module which does not require power from the system to operate.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description thereof.